Assault rifles, bazookas and submachine weapons had been among the many weapons discovered by police in western Germany on Monday throughout a raid towards organized arms trafficking networks.
The weapons arsenal was found in Remscheid, close to the town of Wuppertal, police mentioned.
Public prosecutor Wolf-Tilman Baumert mentioned the discover might be one of many largest stashes of struggle weapons ever found within the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
The raid happened after undercover investigators had been in a position to buy submachine weapons.
Three suspected arms sellers, aged 34, 37 and 59, had been detained on arrest warrants, Baumert mentioned.
A complete of 11 search warrants had been carried out with 200 officers concerned, mentioned police chief Daniel Sternemann. Medication and money had been additionally seized.
The arrests had been preceded by a prolonged investigation.
Regulation enforcement authorities obtained their first tip-off in Might 2024, and investigators purchased weapons undercover for the primary time in September 2024.
Investigator Michael Vagnsoe mentioned the stash of weapons – discovered within the 59-year-old’s basement – included relics from the Nazi period, but in addition objects from the previous Soviet Union.
“As a result of Nazi relics and the curiosity within the Nazi period, a minimum of when it comes to navy historical past, we now have additionally had investigations carried out by the native state safety providers and at this time limit no indications of right-wing extremist sentiments have been recognized,” defined Vagnsoe.
Baumer mentioned that the sellers appeared to have been primarily motivated by monetary pursuits.
Weapons and cartridges seized are proven at a press convention at Wuppertal police headquarters. In response to the general public prosecutor’s workplace, a number of weapons had been discovered throughout an operation. Marci Herwig/dpa
